How does a proposal and acceptance contract work in solo whist?

In solo whist, the "proposal and acceptance" bid—often called "prop and cop"—is an offer to form a temporary partnership to win at least eight tricks, using the suit of the faceup card as the trump suit.1

The process works as follows:

• Initiation: A player bids by stating "I propose" or "Prop." This indicates their intent to seek a partner to reach the eight-trick goal.1
• Acceptance: If no higher bid has been made, another player may accept the proposal by saying "I accept" or "Cop." This creates a temporary alliance between the proposer and the acceptor.1
• Strategic Context: If the eldest hand proposes and receives no acceptance, they may choose to bid "solo" instead. Conversely, if the eldest hand passes, they have the option to accept a subsequent player's proposal if it remains the highest bid.1

Once the contract is established, the partners work together to fulfill the trick requirement, with payments settled according to the game's agreed-upon scoring schedule.1